TORONTO – Barrick Gold says founder Peter Munk died peacefully in Toronto on Wednesday surrounded by family. He was 90.
The Toronto-based company, which grew into one of the world’s biggest gold producers under Munk’s leadership, didn’t disclose a cause of death.
Munk was born in Budapest in 1927 and fled Hungary with his family in 1944 when Nazi Germany invaded.
He arrived in Toronto in 1948 at age 20 and undertook a number of entrepreneurial business activities before founding Barrick in 1983.
Munk became one of Canada’s best-known philanthropists, including a $175 million donation to the Toronto General Hospital in 1997.
Barrick said he donated nearly $300 million to causes and institutions over his lifetime.
He is survived by Melanie, his wife of 45 years; five children, Anthony, Nina, Marc-David, Natalie, and Cheyne; and 14 grandchildren.